juicy? smoky? tender? salty? savory? satisfying, but ultimately indescribable. the best steak i ever tasted was in a "little spike" sandwich in tri tip grill's "modest meal" ($5.99), which includes a plain white roll stuffed with 2-and-a-half- to 3-ounces of steak, your choice of salad or sides and a small soda or spring water. my "red mashers" side played a superb supporting role, especially with rich gravy drizzled on top.

the meal may be modest, but this california import is anything but-when it comes to describing the steak, and what they do to make it so indescribably scrumptious. the menu commands you to learn

why this sandwich will change your life. i like a steakhouse that stands by its beef. tender and lean, this little-known cut of angus beef undergoes something like steak spa treatment: "aged for 21 days," "rubbed in a specialty marinade and craft seasoning," "charred over roaring fire" and "finished in a wood smoker." and i should add, "rolled in your tongue," because you just don't want the sensation to stop. who would have thought you could find such a rare, complex flavor in bland rock center? while tourists head up to the "top of the rock," i'll be in the basement, enjoying the full 6-oz. in a big buck ($7.99).